NARROW LOSS FOR LIONS AT BRADFORD

04 March 2024

BRADFORD BULLS 21 SWINTON LIONS 12

IAN RIGG at Odsal Stadium, Sunday 3 March 2024

AB Sundecks 1895 Cup – Quarter Final

The Bulls came out on top in a pulsating cup-tie to set up a semi-final against Wakefield Trinity and the Lions suffering their first defeat of the season.

The game started with an error form Lions full back Dan Abram when he tried to find touch after the first set, but the ball sailed straight dead. From the first Bulls attack they went close, but Keanan Brand couldn’t keep hold of the ball near the corner. Bulls took the lead on six minutes when Jordan Lilley found a gap for Chester Butler to burst through and score on the right and Lilley converted. The Lions first proper attack ended in the Bulls ten, but defence stood strong. Aidan McGowan left the field for a head assessment but returned soon afterwards. The Lions were coming strong midway through the half and George Roby was allegedly held up under the posts on twenty-seven minutes and from the next play the ball Joe Arundel was sent to the sinbin for an off the ball tackle on Jayden Hatton. There was another off-the-ball on Jordy Gibson in the next set and this was placed on report. Kevin Appo tried to get Kieran Gill over in the left corner on the half hour, but the pass was forward. Lilley increased the scores with a drop goal seven minutes from the break, but the Lions hit back when they won a scrum in the Bulls twenty and Roby and Gibson combined to send Jake Spedding over on the right and despite the crowd trying to put Dec Patton off with the conversion, he slotted it between the posts. Lilley added a penalty goal seconds before the half time hooter for a push on Appo in front of the posts.

The Lions had first chance of the second half with Spedding going close and then the first Bulls chance of the half came when Sam Hallas was held up on forty-nine minutes. Then came another Lions attack but with an overlap the ball went to ground. Bulls increased their lead five minutes later when Lilley went from a scrum to score on the left and add the conversion. Just after the restart Appo and Lilley combined but the ball went to ground and then Jayden Hatton was held up before Roby thought he had scored but Bulls were called offside in the build-up. Again the Lions were coming strong and just after the hour good pressure on the line forced Brand to field a kick through to stop the attack. Josh Eaves pulled off a try saving tackle on Brand before his side went back up field and a kick by Gibson towards the corner was knocked backwards by a Lions attacker and Abram scooped up the ball to score in the left corner. Butler was held up with four minutes left and the game was finally made safe two minutes from time when a Lilley stab kick found Gill who scored in the left corner and Lilley added the conversion.

LIONS
1 Dan Abram
2 Matty Chrimes
3 Jake Spedding
4 Jayden Hatton
5 Rhys Williams
6 Dec Patton
7 Jordy Gibson
13 Mikey Wood
14 Josh Eaves
10 Gav Bennion
11 Gav Rodden
12 Mitch Cox
16 Lewis Hall

Subs (all used)
9 George Roby
8 Liam Cooper
17 Matty Fletcher
21 Andy Badrock

Tries: Spedding (36), Abram (70)
Goals: Patton 2/2

BULLS
24 Aiden McGowan
21 Jayden Myers
26 Keanan Brand
4 Kieran Gill
5 Jorge Taufua
6 Lee Gaskell
7 Jordan Lilley
13 Michael Lawrence
25 Corey Johnson
15 Dan Smith
12 Chester Butler
3 Joe Arundel
14 John Davies

Subs (all used)
9 George Flanagan
16 Kevin Appo
19 Sam Hallas
23 Dan Okoro

Tries: Butler (6), Lilley (54), Gill (78)
Goals: Lilley 4/4
Field-goals: Lilley – 1
Sinbin: Arundel (28) Pulling back

Penalty count: 7-11
Half-time: 9-6
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: Not Given